Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Prevalence of underweight, weight for age was 15.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2024
Source: UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'. Measured in % of children under 5.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 15.7% for prevalence of underweight, weight for age in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 24.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.7%, in 2024.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of children under 5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.9% | — |
| 2001 | 24.4% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 24.0% | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 23.1% | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 22.7% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 22.3% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 21.9% | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 21.1% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 20.7% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 20.3% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 19.9% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 19.5% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 19.2% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 18.4% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 18.1% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 17.7% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 17.4% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 17.1% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 16.7% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 16.4% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 16.1% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 15.7% | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.9% | 21.1% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.0% | 17.4% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.4% | 15.7% | 17.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 65 and above, total, annual growth rate 3.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, annual growth rate 3.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.0142 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, female, annual growth rate 2.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita 0.0323 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0181 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 3.35 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Prevalence of underweight, weight for age in Sub-Saharan Africa was 15.7% in 2024, according to UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children'.
- What is the highest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of underweight, weight for age recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.7% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for prevalence of underweight, weight for age?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 14 groups with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of underweight, weight for age rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child Malnutrition Estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology., UN Children', published as part of Prevalence of underweight, weight for age (% of children under 5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prevalence of underweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for age is more than two standard deviations below the median for the international reference population ages 0-59 months. The data are based on the WHO's 2006 Child Growth Standards.